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Music legend Nile Rodgers and his world-famous band CHIC will be taking to the stage at Central Hall Westminster this New Year’s Eve.

The event, to be broadcast live to millions on BBC One, will mark the fifth year running that the BBC has chosen the iconic central London venue for their New Year’s Eve broadcast. Previous performances to welcome the start of a new year have included Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams, Queen + Adam Lambert and Gary Barlow.

Tickets to the special live music concert held before and after the world-renowned fireworks display on the River Thames, are due to be released soon and are expected to sell out in minutes.

Multiple Grammy-winning composer, producer, arranger, and guitarist Nile Rodgers is responsible for a string of worldwide hits including Let’s Dance by David Bowie, Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out and Sister Sledge’s classic hit We Are Family. All of this, coupled with Rodgers’ collaboration with Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams on 2013’s worldwide hit single Get Lucky, makes him undoubtedly one of the most influential musicians of his generation.

Nile Rodgers & CHIC are one of the most prominent and enduring bands on the scene today. The group's pared down funk and dance vibes have proven to be some of the most distinctive and emblematic music of our time with #1 hits including Le Freak, Good Times as well as Everybody Dance and Dance, Dance, Dance.

Paul Southern, Managing Director of Central Hall Westminster, comments: “We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the BBC New Year’s Eve celebration for the fifth year in a row. Our magnificent Great Hall, which seats over 2,000, will provide a fitting backdrop for the live performance to be broadcast. We have hosted numerous high profile performances at our venue over the past year, confirming Central Hall’s position as the leading concert venue for central London.”

Nile, who was this year inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, said: “It’s been an incredible year for CHIC in the UK, from playing to 200,000 plus people at Glastonbury to our recent sold out arena shows in London and Liverpool. This is a great way to end our 40th year in a spectacular fashion and kick off a new year that will start with the release of the first new CHIC music in years and the new album. Good Times are coming in 2018!”

Guy Freeman, Editor Special Events for the BBC, said: “I am over the moon that Nile & CHIC will be heading up our New Year’s Eve celebrations at Central Hall Westminster. With a host of timeless disco party classics on their setlist, I am sure that living rooms up and down the land will be boogieing along until the wee small hours!”

Of course, the live music is just part of the party as a festival of fireworks fills the night sky over the River Thames in London as Big Ben strikes midnight.

London’s famous firework display will be choreographed to fit a specially edited medley of music. The celebrations along the Thames will end with a traditional rendition of Auld Lang Syne, before the action switches back inside as Nile and CHIC continue the party at Central Hall with a raft of hits including Good Times, Le Freak and Everybody Dance.​A Limited number of tickets will be available via the Central Hall Westminster website: https://www.c-h-w.com/news/386/58/New-Year-s-Eve-Concert-Nile-Rodgers-CHIC-Good-Times-2017-2018/ or bbc.co.uk/newyearseve.

Central Hall Westminster (CHW) is central London’s largest purpose-built conference and events centre, combining historical elegance with cutting-edge technical capabilities. The unique Edwardian landmark building situated adjacent to Westminster Abbey is the home of a culturally diverse Methodist Church and has engaged high profile conferences, special events and local business meetings since 1912.

The Great Hall – Seats up to 2,000 delegates and features Europe’s largest self-supporting domed ceiling, creating a uniquely intimate atmosphere in the circular shaped, tiered balcony hall with natural daylight.

Library and Lecture Hall – The bright and spacious halls provide flexible space flooded with natural light for up to 1,100 delegates.

Six rooms up to 150 delegates - All rooms offer flexible configurations combined with natural light/ blackout facilities. By using adjacent rooms and spacious foyers, unique event spaces can be created, allowing for breakout sessions, catering and registration.

13 rooms for up to 60 delegates - With beautiful original features, Central Hall Westminster’s smaller rooms provide an elegant setting for meetings from 20 to 60 guests.

The architectural features of the building include the iconic dome, spacious entrance foyers and hallways, marble flooring and a sweeping Grand staircase, the design of which is based on the Paris Opera House.

New Year’s Eve on BBC OneThe firework broadcast and concert was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, it will be executive produced by Guy Freeman and Cerrie Frost will be series producer. The fireworks will be executive produced by Claire Popplewell for BBC Events and produced by Victoria Simpson. The presenter will be announced in due course.About NileNile has Produced and or written and recorded a string of hits, including; He’s The Greatest Dancer, We Are Family, Thinking Of You, Lost In Music and Frankie for Sister Sledge; Upside Down and I’m Coming Out for Diana Ross; Let’s Dance, Modern Love, and China Girl for David Bowie; Like A Virgin and Material Girl for Madonna, Notorious for Duran Duran, plus Get Lucky and Lose Yourself To Dance for Daft Punk et al amongst many others.

Nile has had an amazing 2017 so far, which will culminate in the New Year’s Eve event on BBC One. Within the last 12 months, Nile has received British GQ’s Man Of The Year "Icon" Award, has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, played Glastonbury to 200,000 people in front of Ed Sheeran. Earlier in the year BBC Four screened a 3-part documentary entitled Nile Rodgers "How To Make It In The Music Business.”About BBC StudiosBBC Studios is the BBC’s main TV production arm, producing bold, British, creative content across a range of genres and specialisms. From Planet Earth II, Strictly Come Dancing, The Proms and Doctor Who, to One Love Manchester, Good Omens, W1A, Horizon and Murdered by My Father, its programmes are renowned for their quality and loved by audiences in the UK and around the world. With bases all over the country, BBC Studios reflects and represents diverse voices and creative talent from across the UK. BBC Studios launched as a commercial business in April 2017, able to make programmes for other broadcasters as well as the BBC, supporting the BBC’s public service mission and generating financial returns for licence fee payer.

I have always wanted to be a concert master or something. I feel I have the skills. I hate that people seem to get too academic with professions like this. You can't really learn this in classrooms. It's better to stay with the experts and watch how they do things. Be an apprentice. Be their slave. It's different from a school internship where there are rules. When you are trying to learn, there shouldn't be any rules. You can die from following the wrong leaders or the right advice given at a wrong time. I am not sure what I meant by that.